Building construction



Ma gi.

July 11, 1939- e. F. KOTRBATY BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 6, 1937 INVENTOR Guy F. Kufrbafy f/walfl/w'c/f' Q. 7201131;

ATTORNEY Patented July 11, 1939 UNITED STATES PAT ENT PH C E 16 Claims.

This invention relates to-improvements in selfsupporting building units adapted for use in walls, floors, roofs and ceilings, and the application relates more particularly to such units having generally channel-shaped semi-stud and beam sections with edge flanges and angularly mating ribs or tongues and grooves in the web sections, as the load-bearing structural elements, spaced apart and held by a single panel member, interfitted semi-stud or beam sections or elements of juxtaposed units being secured together as structural composites by hook-flanged channel keying members, and the open faces of the assembled units being surfaced with sheathing and other surfacing materials.

The present invention is concerned with structural units in which side members form structural building elements when abutted and interlocked with juxtaposed like members. The soformed composite structural supporting members may be spaced apart on a given modulus and secured'together by and to panelins or'wall members'to form a'single face or wall section of an open-faced building unit, which unit' will com- 2 prise two end structural composite stud or beam elements, and an intermediate wall, floor, ceiling'or roof panel sectionor member. The panels may be secured to the side or structural supporting members or elements, as by means of bolts, rivets, screws, screw-nails, or equivalent securing means. Waterproof cements, including casein glues, synthetic resins, and the like, may be used'to secure the several parts together. The composite structural end sectionsareprovided with mating angular tongue and groove sections to facilitate their proper alignment and initial securing together, and they are provided further at the free edges, or rails, with flanges adapted to channel keying members having edge hook flanges. With the use of such keying members, abutted and aligned units may be permanently locked to give a wall, floor, or roof construction having a plurality of single-faced units supported on composite structural stud, beam, or rafter members. The channel-shaped locking keys may have furring strips or sleepers, or other nailing members secured therein and thereto, and nailable surfacings may be secured to the furring strips or sleepers. Such a construction permits 50 the use of the customary nailable surfacings,

such as sheathing and clapboarding, plywood,

metal, or other panels, and the like, to the structural units, including my self-supporting units generally, and the composite structural stud, 55 stanchion, beam and rafter members of walls,

floors, ceilings and roofs. This provides a desired and practicable extension of the building principles and structures set out in my patents or based upon the-common, fundamental constructional principles;

The composite I-beam of the present invention has the respective or separate channel elementsformed With mating web sections serving as stiffening and locking elements, and may be provided with flat key-receiving flanges at one rail-section, while the other like railsections may be adapted to receive'panel wall sections abutted to'form a hair line joint.

The use of an open-faced structural member having two structural end sections, lends itself very readily to use in pre-fabricated or preformed houses in which the-several parts may be designed or cutfor rapid and efficient assembly. As an adjunct to this facility ct -design, fabrication, and erection,'the inner panel surface of any given wall, floor, ceiling, attic, or other building unit, may besuitably stenciled to indicate diagrams forthe layout and erection of plumbing pipes and fixtures,-pipingandother fixtures for heating systems and air conditioning devices, which diagrams will indicate the proper position of various servicesand component parts when the house is under erection. It'will, of course, be appreciatedthata wide variety of plans, layouts and diagrams, including catalogue designa- 30 tions of parts and bills of materials, may be stenciled, printed orlithographed on either or both sides of thesepanel members; Such indicia may include diagrams for radioinstallations;television, fire-alarm, burglar alarm, telephone wiring or call bell systems, wiring diagrams or plans of a multitude'or other devices, services or wiring layouts, diagrams or plans'i The panels may, 0-1 course, include nailing diagrams; In addition, the'present inventio'n'comprehends the marking of the'outer'surfaces of such panels with diagrams; and the likeQindicating the position of sinks, flushtanks, lavatories, bowls, fixtures for telephone and'lighting, including switches and switch and control boXesyas-Well as brackets and hangers; and othenauxiliary structural elements associated with the services delineated on the reverse side of the" panel.

The'above and "other desirable features and advantages of the presentinvntionwill be de-' scribed hereinafter withres'pect to the drawings accompanying the present specification and forming a part thereof, itbeing understood that the examples set forth are given by way of illustration only, for, since 'the underlying 7 principles may be embodied in other specific structural devices, it is not intended to be limited to the structures here shown, except as such limitations are clearly imposed by the appended claims.

In the drawing, like numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views, of which Fig. 1 is an elevation, partly in broken section, of a plurality of assembled wall units having floor hanging connections indicated in phantom view, and

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a composite structural supporting member of Fig. 1 with nailable keying members in place.

Referring more specifically to the drawing, the novel structural building members of the present invention comprise units, designated generally by the numeral I00, and including a single panel or wall section, I0l, secured to and spacing end structural elements, designated generally by the numeral 500. The composite studs or structural members, 500, comprise abutted channel-shaped members, 50I, 502, each including a fiat bottom portion and angular flanged sides 503 terminating in angular locking flanges 504. Section 50I is provided with an angularly disposed longitudinal rib or tongue, 505, and section 502 is provided with a mating channel or groove 506 adapted to receive the element 505. It will be seen that when section 502 is fitted to section 50I, as by moving rib or tongue 505 angularly into groove 506, the parts are interlocked and form a composite structural member 500. The presence of the angularly disposed, mating tongue and groove elements insures the composite member from being pulled apart by any pull in the direction of the wall length or modulus of the unit. Channel-shaped keying members 520, having edge hook flanges, are fitted over the rail sections of the composite unit at the open side thereof. These supporting and keying-members, 520, include a flat base portion, 52I, flanged sides, 522, and upturned internal hook flanges, 523. The hook flanges, 503, are adapted to mate with and lock flanges 504 of the rail sections of the composite structural elements, 50I, 502, of composite unit 500. The key members, 520, may have furring strips or wooden sleepers, I30, or equivalent nail-receiving members, fastened on the outside of the keys, as by means of nails or other securing members, all designated generally by the numeral I3I.

The panel members, I 0|, forming the single wall section of the building units, are secured to the rail sections of the composite structural elements, 50I, 502, at one side only thereof, to the reinforced side flanges 503, as by means of bolts or rivets, or the like, all designated generally by the numeral I02. The abutted webs of sections 50 I, 502, may be provided with a variety of aligned apertures, all designated generally by the numeral IIOa. The apertures Il0a reduce the volume of metal in the web sections, without, however, reducing the structural strength thereof. This reduced metal volume is accompanied by an appreciable reduction in heat conductivity and transfer of heat through the web sections, thus increasing the efliciency thereof and acting as insulating members. In addition, condensation along the joint lines of the interior Wall faces is minimized or prevented, thus eliminating cracks in the finished wall joints.

As already described, the open faces of the abutted and aligned units I00, are held locked together by a plurality of keying means, including the mating tongue and groove elements 505, 506,

and the stiffening and supporting key members 520. It will be noted that the coaction of the hook flanges 523 of keys 520 with flanges 504 of the outer rail segments of the composite structural members provides a desirable increase in strength of the composite structure due to the lateral stiffening imparted by the association and cooperation of flange 504 with elements 522, 523. It will also be noted that flange 504 serves to counteract any tendency of rail sections 503 to bow under applied force, and this stiffening effect is increased by the cooperation of the coacting segments of keying member 520. Furring strips or sleepers, I30, or other nail-receiving members, may be secured to keys 520, as by means of nails of the like, I3I. Individual panels, or a continuous wall surface or covering, including sheathing I32, or plywood, metal, stucco lath, and the like, may be applied to the furring strips or sleepers I30. A finish surfacing I33, of hardenable plastic, stucco, brick, or other suitable material, and including clapboarding and shingle finishes, brick and stone veneer, may be applied on and over the sheathing. Other surfacings may be applied thereto, and including metal, wood, paper-encased gypsum panels, with or without surfacings of plaster, paint, linoleum, and the like. The individual or continuous sheathing or other like structural wall surfacing completes the wall structure and insures rigidity to the wall and floor assemblies. The material used for the sheathing and surface finishings may vary, depending upon whether or not the units form part of inner, supporting, or non-load bearing, partition walls, or whether they form part of outside walls which are required to be finished with weather-resistant surfacings. In the latter instance, it will be understood that tarpaper and other waterproofing inserts and coverings may be associated with the sheathing, I32, and the surface finishing I33. The keying members, 520, and associated furring strips or sleepers, I 30, thus serve as auxiliary supporting members in the composite structural members 500, and, at the same time, serve as supports for finish and supporting members, such as the sheathings, I32, and associated surfacing, I33. The abutted panels, IOI, of adjacent units, are desirably directly abutted tov give a line seam, I 0Ia, particularly in cases where the paneling material, IOI, may be made of veneering and have a desirable surface finish. Any seams or joints formed may be filled with filler putty or cement and sparkled before painting or finishing of the surface.

The structural units, when used in wall structures, may be set in channel members adapted to receivev the composite stud or stanchion members, 500, and may be secured therein by concrete or other hardenable plastics, or by mechanical means, such as bolts and nuts, as well as by means of rivets or of spot-welding. Usually and desirably, the panel members, IOI, will be cut away a sufficient distance, top and bottom of the units, to permit the composite structural members 500, to extend therebeyond and fit into the channels at the bottom and to receive wall cap members at the top, as well as to receive floor hanger members, I40, at the top and bottom of the units, and here shown in phantom view. These hanger members comprise a generally continuous body section, I4I, secured to the stud elements at their flanges 503, as by means of spot welds, I42, and being provided at the top and bottom thereof withan offset flange, I43, and a hook flange, I44, which are generally in substantially vertical alignment. The flanges, I43, I44, of the hanger member, I l-0, are adapted to be received in and locked by like members placed in reverse position on floor sections and other structural building members which are to be hung on the wall. In this connection, it is to be noted that the hanger members, Hi0, act as horizontal bracing members for each unit, and, thus, for the entire structure, and will prevent weaving or lateral vibration, particularly at the vertical joints. The hanger members may also be used in continuous lengths, overlapping or extending over a plurality of abutted units, and providing a common, lateral bracing construction.

As noted hereinabove, a desirable feature in the designing and erection of so-called prefabricated or planned houses is the provision of stencilings on the wall panel surfaces, indicating the exact position and layout of all plumbing, heating, air-conditioning ducts, wiring, telephone, and other maintenance services (gas, water, electricity, sewage, etc.), required in a house. These several stencilings may vary from one unit to another, depending upon the parts which are to be secured therein or thereto, and which insure absolute accuracy of fit and correctness of performance. It is to be noted further that all holes may be pre-drilled or prepunched, and, where necessary, the holes receiving screw-fastening members may be thread tapped. The pre-punched or pre-drilled holes will provide for passage of pipe ducts, wires, and other elements, through the panels, thereby cutting down the time normally required for such work to be done in the field, and doing away with the botchy appearance of such work. All of this conduces to uniformity of design, fabrication and erection, and at the same time insures to all parties involved, maximum speed in fitting and erection, while, at the same time, insuring absolute correctness in the assembly, which, from the point of view of sanitation and efiiciency, is of prime importance. Standardization of erection, consequent upon the standardization of parts permitted by this novel method, also permits standardization of replacement members and absolute and complete accuracy in their identification and replacement. The plumbing and other services may have their outlets on either surface of the units and may extend through the several units, horizontally, passing through the apertures, llfia, in the supporting members, 500.

It will now be appreciated that there have been provided novel structural building members, including unitary constructions having a paneling and structural end members supporting the same, abutted end members of adjacent units forming composite structural members, which, in turn, are locked in place by keying members adapted to receive individual or continuous wall surfacings closing the open faces of the units, and completing a wall, floor, or roof assembly. In addition, floor hanging and securing members are associated with the assembly of units to secure floors thereto, and, at the same time, to provide a desirable lateral, internal bracing to a structure incorporating the same.

What is claimed is:

l. A composite structural building member forming a generally I-beam construction, comprising a pair of half sections of channel shape, the edges forming rail sections and being shallow channels having a supporting and stiffening flange serving as a locking member, the web sections having angular'longitudinal tongues and. grooves adapted for mating locking engagement, and a channeled keying member having double hook flanges in locking engagement with the supporting and stiffening flanges on one rail of the composite beam member, the keying member having a nailable furring strip or sleeper secured thereto.

2. A composite structural building member forming a-generally I-beam construction, comprising a pair of half sections of channel shape, the edges forming rail sections and having inturned stiffening, supporting and locking flanges, the web'sections having mating angular longitudinal tongues and grooves in looking engagement, and a channeled keying member having double hook flanges inlocking engagement with the supporting and stifiening flanges on at least one rail of the composite member.

3. A composite structural building member forming a'generally I-beam construction, comprising a pair of half sections of channel shape, the sides of the channels formingrail sections and each having an inturned stiflening, supporting and locking flange, the bases of the channels havinglinear longitudinal tongues and grooves in angular. mating locking engagement, and channeled keying members having double hook flanges in looking engagement with the supporting and stiffening flanges of the rail sections.

4. A self-supporting building unit comprising a panel section secured to and spacing end structural sections, the end structural sections being elements of composite I-beam constructions, each end section comprising a channel shape, the sides of the channels having inturned edges forming stiffening supporting and locking flanges, abutted channels having linear longitudinal tongues and grooves for angular mating locking engagement, the rail sections at the open sides of the unit coacting with juxtaposed like sections of abutted units to receive and be locked by channeled keying members having double hook flanges.

5. A self-supporting building unit comprising a panel section secured to and spacing end structural sections, the end structural sections being elements of composite I-beam constructions, each end section comprising a channel shape, the sides of the channels having inturned edges forming stiffening supporting and locking flanges, abutted channels having linear longitudinal tongues and grooves for angular mating locking engagement with coacting elements of juxtaposed members, the rail sections at the open sides of the unit coacting with like sections of juxtaposed units to receive and be locked by channeled keying members having double hook flanges, and nailable members secured on the said keying members and adapted to receive Wall surfacings.

6. In a building unit as claimed in claim the improvements comprising structural hanger members secured to and on the end structural sections and at floor heights.

7. In a building unit as claimed in claim the improvements comprising structural hanger members secured to and on the end structural sections on the panel side thereof and above and below the panel.

8. In a building unit as claimed in claim 5, the improvements comprising structural hanger members secured to and on the end structural sections and at floor heights.

9. In a building unit as claimed in claim the improvements comprising structural hanger members secured to and on the end structural sections on the panel side thereof and above and below the panel.

10. A continuous building section comprising an array of self-supporting building units, each unit including a single face or panel section secured to and spacing end structural elements of composite I-beams, each I-beam section comprising a channel shape, the sides of the channels having inturned edges forming stifiening supporting and locking flanges, abutted channels having linear longitudinal tongues and grooves in angular mating locking engagement with coacting elements of juxtaposed units, the rail sections at the open sides of the abutted units being locked together by channeled keying members having double hook flanges in mating locking engagement with the stiffening flanges, and securing the array of building units as a structural entity.

11. In a building construction as claimed in claim 10, the improvements comprising structural hanger members secured to and on the end structural elements of the composite I-beams and at floor heights.

12. In a building construction as claimed in claim 10, the improvements comprising structural hanger members secured to and on the end structural sections of the separate building units on the panel sides thereof and above and below the panels.

13. In a building construction as claimed in claim 10, the improvements comprising structural hanger members secured to and across a plurality of end structural sections of the units and serving as lateral bracing members.

14. In a building construction as claimed in claim 10, the improvements comprising wall surfacing elements over the open side of each unit and secured to the respective nailing members of the structural end elements.

15. In a building construction as claimed in claim 10, the improvements comprising a common wall surfacing over the open sides of the units and secured to nailing members on the structural end elements.

16. In a building construction as claimed in claim 10, the improvements comprising a common wall surfacing over the open sides of the L units and secured to nailing members on the structural end elements, and structural hanger members secured to and on said end elements at floor levels and forming lateral bracing elements for the units and for the building construction.

GUY FELIX KOTRBATY. 

